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New Milford Police Speak on Double Murder-Suicide Incest Case

New Milford police provided more information Friday morning on the deaths of a woman, her baby and her adoptive father and the apparent suicide of the biological dad who was having an incestuous relationship.

(Published Friday, April 13, 2018)

A man who had an incestuous relationship with his daughter and fathered a child with her shot and killed her and her adoptive father in a pickup in New Milford, Connecticut on Thursday and then killed himself in New York, police said. The child, a 7-month-old boy, was found slain in North Carolina.

The man, 43-year-old Steven Pladl, and his daughter, 20-year-old Katie Pladl, had been arrested on incest charges in January and the baby boy, who was found dead in the bathroom closet of a home in Knightdale, North Carolina, was their biological child, a lawyer for Steven Pladl said.

New Milford resident Jeff Weinzievl, who lives near the intersection where Katie Pladl and her adoptive father were found, said he was feeding his horses when he heard eight shots from what sounded like a semi-automatic weapon.

Investigators were searching for Steven Pladl’s vehicle, a Honda Odyssey minivan, when he was found dead inside it several miles away in Dover, New York. Police said his death appeared to be self-inflicted.

Steven’s final call to his mother was at 8:45 a.m. and revealed chilling details.

He said he’d just killed Katie and her adoptive father, police said. When she asked about the baby, Steven told his mother he’d killed his son and left the body in his house, according to police.

Steven’s mother then immediately called 911.

“My son just called me and he told me ... oh God. He killed his baby and he’s in the house,” the woman told dispatchers.

When police went to the North Carolina house, they found the infant's body in a bathroom closet. No one else was in the home.

“Yesterday’s events were sad and devastating,” Police Chief Lawrence Capps, of Knightdale, North Carolina, said in a statement. “We may never understand the mindset or motives of Steven Pladl, but we do know his actions have shattered the lives of countless people. We pray the families affected are able to find some measure of comfort and peace as they work to cope with this senseless tragedy.”

Virginia attorney Rick Friedman, who had been representing Steven Pladl in the felony incest case, said he had breakfast with Pladl only a month ago and had no indication that such violence was possible.

“This really bothers me a lot because nobody ever could have predicted this. If anybody had a remote idea anybody was in harm’s way there would have been no bond set,” he said. “There was just absolutely no prior notice anything would happen to these people.”

As part of the bond requirements, Friedman said, the father and daughter were not supposed to communicate with one another. He said Katie Pladl had been living in New York with her adoptive parents.

It's not clear why Katie and Fusco were in Connecticut, but police believe they were running errands.

People who lived near Fusco in Wingdale, New York, described him as a great neighbor.

“He would do anything for anybody. He really would. Just a super guy. Super, super. I don't know we're going to go on without him. I really don't,” Gloria Caple said.